Members of the Las Vegas Raiders' 2023 NFL Draft class, if they're even still in the building, are on their fourth head coach in as many professional seasons. They joined the Silver and Black at the wrong time, because things have never been as dysfunctional as they have been in this time frame.
Only Michael Mayer, Tre Tucker and Aidan O'Connell remain from the aforementioned group, and the three have distinct futures ahead of them. Mayer is under contract through 2029 in Las Vegas, AOC is certain to hit free agency after this season and Tucker, well... That remains to be seen.
Given the way that he has played and the manner in which he has improved during his time with the Raiders, Tucker is certainly worthy of a contract extension. His venturing through the fog of this franchise and being a beacon of light during this current stretch makes him worthy of a new deal.
Tre Tucker has proven himself worthy of a new deal with the Raiders
Although it is not all about the raw numbers, Tucker's production has steadily improved throughout his four-year tenure in Las Vegas. Some of this has been due to opportunity, yes, but these have been opportunities that Tucker has earned by playing well, doing his job and being reliable.
2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026* (pace) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Catches | 19 | 47 | 57 | 70.4 |
Receiving Yards | 331 | 539 | 696 | 1,151.1 |
Receiving TDs | 2 | 3 | 5 | 9.7 |
Success Rate | 41.2 | 43.2 | 46.7 | 55.3 |
Tucker is having his best campaign to date in terms of production, and he has picked it up even more in recent weeks as the team needs him amid their struggles. In the last two games, Tucker has caught 10 passes for 200 yards and three touchdowns despite two Raiders losses.
More important than the stats, though, is how Tucker has grown as a receiver. Coming out of college, he was perceived as a deep threat from the slot with burning speed, or someone who could be electric after the catch on short throws and in screen-pass situations. But he's expanded his game.
In addition to being a deep threat with blistering speed, Tucker has become a more refined and nuanced route-runner out wide. He is having success in the short, intermediate and deep areas of the field, and his success is a big reason why the Las Vegas offense has stayed afloat.
For four years, Tucker has never played with a high-end quarterback, nor had the benefit of the run game to lean on. The offensive line and defense have been a mess. And yet somehow, Tucker has found a way to fend through these obstacles and constantly improve and produce.
If he keeps up at his current rate and reaches close to the "2026 pace" numbers listed above, he will cost quite a bit in free agency next spring. Tucker is in the last year of his rookie deal, and the Raiders would be completely justified in keeping him around, so long as the cost makes sense for both sides.
What could a Tre Tucker extension cost Las Vegas?
Let's start with the absolute floor: Jalen Nailor is making nearly $12 million per year, so it won't be any cheaper than that on an annual basis for John Spytek to keep him around. But Tucker is still limited in some ways and not a true No. 1 wideout, so Las Vegas can't splurge just for the sake of keeping him.
Wan'Dale Robinson is actually a great comparison for Tucker, as both are smaller wideouts who improved dramatically on their rookie deals and hit free agency fresh off the best season of their career. So, what did Robinson make this past year on the open market?
$70 million across four years. That's an average annual salary of $17.5 million.
That seems to be in the sweet spot for Tucker, as it would comfortably put him ahead of players like Rashid Shaheed, Khalil Shakir, Jayden Reed, an aging Cooper Kupp and Mike Evans, and the Nailors and Rashad Batemans of the world.
But it still leaves him behind the likes of Jakobi Meyers, Chris Godwin, Davante Adams, Christian Watson and Courtland Sutton. These players are high-end WR2s or low-end WR1s. Tucker is probably a tier just below that, where he is a certified, solid No. 2.
Not only would that be a nice payday for the former third-round pick out of Cincinnati, but it wouldn't be backbreaking for the team. It would make Tucker the fourth-highest-paid player on the Raiders, which feels appropriate given his production and leadership. Klint Kubiak clearly loves him.
The Raiders did seem to like the three-year deal route this offseason, though, so perhaps the average annual price gets hiked to $18 million or $18.5 million to increase the cash but lessen the longer commitment. That would put a deal at 3 years, $54 million, or 3 years, $55.5 million. That is just fine.
Tucker is exactly the kind of player that needs to get extended in Las Vegas as well. Giving him a new deal would signal to the rest of the team that loyalty, hard work and constant improvement get you paid by the Silver and Black. That is the message that needs to get out in the locker room.
With the wide receiver market pretty thin next spring, it makes sense for the Raiders to lock in Tucker as their long-term No. 2 alongside Brock Bowers, Mayer, and a young No. 1 that Las Vegas can hopefully land in next April's draft. Those four, plus Ashton Jeanty and Mike Washington Jr.?
That is the kind of core that Fernando Mendoza and Kubiak can win with.
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